Articles - Not easy work at home

The English writer Jerome K. Jerome aptly said: “I love my job, it just fascinates me. I can control and look at it for a few hours”. Probably many of those who work at home are facing this problem. What organizations are thinking about virtual workers? Are these workers productive? It is also unclear how it would be possible to combine a family and work. Of course, it is nice to spend more time with kids and see how they grow up, but some wild minors may interfere with work.

Benefits of online (tele) work
Some employers do not want to remote workers because they believe that such workers can be distracted from their colleagues and the organization. The University of Wisconsin denied these fears. Their study shows that the physical gap between an organization and en employee does not mean that they are cut off from the organizational culture or social conditions. In contrast, remote control allows you to work more efficiently and avoid traditional business misunderstanding. Noisy and constant communication with colleagues and other interruptions can stress you out; constant contact with colleagues, contrary to popular belief, does not necessarily strengthen the sense of belonging to the organization. Also, studies show that some workers are more productive when working at home, not only because the quality of work is superior, but also they are more satisfied with their lives and the work.
In addition, the same researches suggest that, for example, “Kenexa” employees who have the opportunity to work remotely are more pride in their workplace and, as a rule, believe that their leaders are open and honest. The company, providing the ability to remotely operate the organization, shows that it has faith in people. Naturally, these workers and their organizations become loyal supporters. Tele-working related researches are under way to identify company benefits and whether employees feel happy working at home.

“Work at home” challenges
Working at home requires fighting with a lot of things, like dishes in the sink to wash, hearing the words of “Mom, I just want to be with you.” The American research firm Wakefield Research estimates that:
• 43% of remote work time is spent on watching TV;
• 35% -on household chores;
• 28% on baking pasta;

On the one hand, the work performed for an external activity may indicate that a worker efficiently handles all workload, and uses the rest of the time in another location. On the other hand, if a house or recreational activities intersperse their outstanding work, it could mean that a person working at home must cope with distractions. In this case, self-discipline is essential, which should be strengthened constantly, at least as a symbolic reward for accumulation. Some people deal with it easily, while others have to put a lot of effort and training in order to develop a strong will, and strengthen their self-control.
Being a part of the team allows you to hide behind others with greater possibility to avoid mistakes. But when you are employed remotely, you take full responsibility for results and have no right for mistakes. So, in order to become successful as a virtual employee you should be able to motivate yourself, get attention and be flexible and creative. The psychologist Daniel Fisher says: “One of the main features of the most professional virtual work is that it helps a remote worker to elevate self-confidence. In order to feel more comfortable when working at home, it is important to constantly develop and improve competences”.
Employees finish their working hours, leave the office, and no one will forget their jobs. Those, who work at home, are deprived of these privileges, as their work space is intertwined with a personal sitting area, and often mobile phone calls. When work and the rest of the environment mix, it sometimes leads to staff burnout. Hence, it is useful to follow the same form of a graph and, if possible, allocate a separate room for work.